Brush, bramble, grass, vine, and corn cutter and shearer



E. YAW 1,850,438

BRUSH, BRAMBLE, GRASS, VINE, AND CORN CUTTER AND SHEARER March 22, 1932;

Filed Dec. 8, 1928 EdsonLYaw Patented Mar. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDSON L. YAW, OF BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR TO JENNIE M. YAW

BRUSH, BRAMBLE, GRASS, VINE, AND CORN CUTTER AND SHEARER Application filed December 8; leasrseriai No. 324,727.

This invention relates to hand instruments used for cutting vegetation and particularly to the type of cutter ordinarily used by being swung substantially in line with the arm.

Among the objects of the invention are the vision of a stronger, heavier, more flexible,

and less breakable frame member of metal than those hitherto in use.

With the hand in the loop as described, the

force of the impact when the cutting tool strikes the weeds or other vegetation is received with a relatively rigid arm, and the tool does not revolve in the hand toward the end of the stroke, because the wooden handle lies against the wrist to prevent this undesirable lost motion.

The muscular tension required to retain the grasp on the ordinary straight, smooth, wooden handle used with cutters of a similar type in the prior art, is fatiguing with a tool of sufiicient weight to provide the proper inertia, but in holding the present tool with the hand through the loop, this continued tension is not necessary. If desired, the tool may be used with both hands on the wooden handle, or with one hand on the handle and the other in the loop for heavy work, while with light work, the tool may be grasped by the wooden handle with one hand.

Below the portion 3, the strips 1 and 2 preferably sharpened on both edges as indicated in Fig. 1. These divergent legs are twisted, preferably in oppositely rotating spirals, as shown in Fig. 2, for the major part of their length. In Fig. 6, the lower end of the strip 1 is shown as bent inward at 14 and perforated for the bolt which secures the blade 13 to the strip with the plane of the blade transverse to the axis of the instrument. Fig. 7 shows a stronger con- 7 struction in which two bolts 16 are used. It is customary in tools of this type to make one leg longer than the other without any provision for adjustment. The user swings the tool with the axis of the frame at a considerdiverge to make room for a cutting blade 13,

able angle to the vertical, with the blade far enough away to avoid touching his feet, but because of the outer leg of the tool being longer, the edge of the blade will still be held parallel to the ground, as in Fig. 2. 55

In the drawings forming a partof' this specification, Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig; 2 a side view of a typical embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section e and on a larger scale, of the handle shown in Fig; 2 Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views illustrating alternative forms of handle loops and Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary views showing alternative waysof connecting the cutting blade to the lower end of theframe.

The frame member consists of two substantially flat metallic; strips, 1 and 2, placed with a fiat surface of one against a fiat surface of the other and twisted togetherto form anaxially arranged straight central portion 3, the strips preferably being held together by some suitable fastening means, such as' the rivets 4' 'and'5, or their equivalents. Above the portion 3,'the strips are both bent outwardly, in opposite directions and then brought inward to form a loop 6 having its major anisextending transversely'of the axis of the portion 3. Above the loop, the strips are set substantially parallel and spaced to receive a wooden handle 7 arranged longitudinally of themain axis of the instrument. As shown in Fig. 3, the handle may be recessed on its opposite sides to receivethe ends of the strips, which are perforated as at 8' for fastening meanssuch as the screws-9' or the 35 rivets lOshow-n in Figs. 4 and 5. Themetallic strips thusrein-force the wooden handle and are substantially flush with its outer surface, presenting no projections to hurt the hands of the user.

The loop 11 of Fig. 4 and the loop 12" of Fig. 5-represent mere variations'in design, the dimensions-in all cases being such as to permit the easy insertion ofthe-hand with the palm upward, so that the wrist may beheld straight with the wooden handle lying against it as the tool is swungiwith a full-arm movement about the shoulder as a pivot. I

. As a means. for" adjusting the effective.

length of the outer legs, an extension: member 9 in two metallic strips united anclmade rigid I .end of the strip'l in Fig. 6 and having its 17 'is shown 'in Fig. 2, bent atits lower end in a manner similar to the bending of the upper portion perforated for a bolt 18 which 5 may be engaged within any of a series of perforations 19 in the straight lower end of the strip 2. Anydesired element, asa blade, rake, scuffle hoe, potato digger, or fork, may thus be set transversely at substantially right angles to the axis of the frame, as indicated in broken lines at 20 in Fig. 2. 1

- It will be understood that the details shown 1 are merely illustrative and that many changes in form, proportions, and arrangements of, parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the ber, A. 11-1928.

the same plane with the major axis of'the hand p, the blade eing secured to the ends of the strips, r 7 V 5. A tool as in claim 4 having means for adjusting the angle of the plane of the blade by changing the effective length of one of the s ip ' 6. 'A'hand instrument comprising. a frame member consisting of two substantially flat metallic strips placed with a flat surface of one adjacent to-a flat surface of the other, and twisted together for approximately half their "length and then diverging, and an implement detachably secured between the separated ends of the strips.

member consisting of two substantially flat metallic strips placed with a fiat surface of one adj acentto' a flat surfaceof the other,and twisted together for approximately half their length and then diverging, an implement detachably secured between the separated ends of the strips, and a fastening means securing the metallicistrips tightly together at the point where they'diverge.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my nameon this. 24th day of Novem:

Ei sou L. YAW.

I tudinally arranged handle, a pair of metallic strips secured upon opposite sides of the handle, the strips being bent to form a hand loop adjacent to the lower end of the handle when the instrument isin normal position for use,

the stripsbeing secured together for approxiv mately half their length and then diverging to receive therebetween an implement, and an implement secured'at its ends to the ends of the strips. v 1 H v 3. A hand instrument .comprising a handle extending axially of the'instrument, a hand loop at the normally lower end of the handle ing of two metallic strips twisted together axially of the instrument for approximately sharp-edged blade secured at its ends to the ends of the strips, the plane of the blade beingtrans-verse'to the axis of the instrument.

4.; A cutting tool intended for use by be- 7 ing swung substantially in line with the arm, which" comprises a longitudinally arranged handle atthe upper 'end'of the tool, a: hand loop to permit the insertion of the hand, palm upward, adj acent, to the base of the handle, a fram'emember adjacent totheloop comprisbytwistingabout a common axis, for approximately halftheir length and diverging at arranged with its greatest dimension transversely of theaxis, a framemember consisthalf their length'and then diverging, and a I their lower ends, and a cutting blade set with its plane transverse .to the axis of thetool 5 and with its longitudinalaxis'in'substantially i lie 4 7.=A hand instrument comprislnga frame 

